New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-06
JAMES e. QUINN ON THE STRIKES.
HOPES AND FEARS OF A MASTER WORKMAN.

WITH FREE EDUCATION AND MANHOOD sUFfhAGI
| GENERALIZATION IS NOT DANGEROUS.
Assemblymen Hogeboom Ainsworth, Collins Kim
1 hall and Martin. the special Assembly COMMITTEE
annoined to investigate the causes OF the strlkes
| continued its session yesterday IN the Adermen's
| Chamber of the City Hall. Ex-Attorney-Generai
Leslie W. Russell directed the inquiry. Master
| v orkman James Z. Quinn wes examined: ne ls
| prominent leader OF the knights. lie SAID ne was
| Master Workman OF District Assembly No. 40,
Knights of Labor The real cause OF the coal STRIKE
he sad was the attempted reduction OF wages from
coal hat the reduction was going on all
along the coast and among all handlers OF coal ibis
conclusion matter Of judgment with the men,
assumed result Of previous experiences; lie
knew that such circumstances have frequently oc-
Cured, but he unable to re call specific instance
of such general reductions. Mr. kusseli pressed nun
to give an to the question, hut he was unable
to do He did not know what II cost to prepare
ton of coal for the market what TRANSPORTATION to
the seaboard cost lie thought corporations we've le
naturally selfish and grasping. Their action last
year in gradually increasing the rrice OF coal proved
this In three months they raised the price 81 ton
The advance in Legitimate value was merely nominal,
about 2 cents @ ton. The price OF coal at 'he mines
was So 20 ton and the increase was therefore,
about 80 per cent. There was no increase IN tue
wages of wOrkmen. The workmcn interested were
chiefly coal shovellers and coal deliyerers. lhelr
employment is irregular being hired largely by the
hour Care is invariably taken by the cor2orations ION
to secure men whose condition is desperate that
they will work for the lowest wages They receive II
employed constantly, about TS or go week or about
10 cents an hour. This kind Of treat nent mskes
among the men strong tendency toward lntemper-
an attempt the company part to substitute without
notice large number of men in the places OF old
ones at lower rates OF wages. IL was done on
DELAYED for that purpose The comrany employed
lot of 90 their Southern ports aud take the
places OF lot OF coored workmen who were unwilling
to work on Sunday. They had contract with tho
colcred men, and they brought them up TO New York.
putting them in the places OF old employees here at
lower Mr.. Quinn believed that the general dis
trust industrial people for the corrorations was
exceedingly keen. The labor people expect through
perfect organization to draw the attention OF the
people to the absolute wants OF the me un pe
jnstce. They believe that the anmoyances ana ais
comfort felt by the public during strikes will bring
home the question OF what can be done 10 prevent
them thus legislatures will be pressed into pass
ing laws that will relieve the burdens OF the working
people and stop the encroachments OF the corpora,
tons In all wars the innocent suffer as well as the
guilty, and the between labor and capital ~ no
exception others in this respect Mr. Quinn did not
see how this could be remedicd In tact, II was one
the strongest weapons in the hands OF labor to com
pei attention to its demands. In Mr. Suinns OPINION
TO from all the railroad corporations
and all the telegraph companies all especial grants
and privileges and place carrying facilities in the
hands Of the people would do wonders for the alevia
ton of theworkuen The real trouble in the labor
6cf arose from the lack Of ,rehensive men IN the
labor bureaus all over the country They seemed TO
have two objects, TO work the labor people poti-
Cay and 10 ald the employers ny giving theH NhAI
information they wanted. The last idc that seemed
TO enter the minds OF the managers OF labor bureaus
Was to collect information that would be useful 10
the workmen Mr.. Quinn thought there should DO
less politics and less fawning wealthy corporations
and more honest effort bencdt the laboring classes
in these bureaus.
Mr.. Quinn thought the State Board of Arbitration
should have more power He favored a plan to CON-
pei submission OF all labor disputes TO this board
At present IL had no real authority at all board
of arbitration ri.htully empowered and bureau of
statistics rghtfully conducted would suffice 10 blot
out strikes and wond absolutely insure the non-in-
terrupton of Industry. These were oil questions of
gradual development, said Mr. Quinn and could MT
be settled in day. The assumption by the loyern-
ment of all enterprises OF public nature would largely
meet the troubles II would prevent the present sys
TEN OF accumulatng overgrown fortunes. would oper-
ate equably to distribute wealth, would pro-
mote economy Of expenditures and lheraty OF wages.
and would do away with that detestabe arrogance OF
wealthy employers which is the most serious cause OF
strikes.
Mr. Quinn did not believe that Co. ernmentsl control
of these enterprises would 10 step toward ceDtraiza
ton he did not think Capitalization so dreadful
thing. anyhow So long the public school system
was kept alive and adequately maintained. and so
long as the ballot was preserved universal, he did |
not apprehend any danger TO the peoples liberties
from a strong government But unless the growth of
corporate wealth was checked he danger. Ii |
wonld grow and keep growing and he dared not
prophecy what might be the end.
Jacob Sutton OF South Amboy. said that he struck
because his pay was reduced. The inquiry will be re-
surned on Monday at III a.
NOr other Nt~s ab0nt The strike ~. Main Sheet